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BCAM's HS Player/Team Awards: Familiarize yourself with the criteria

Every spring, BCAM gives out hundreds of awards to High School Players and Teams at the end of the basketball season. This article is meant to help explain each award to coaches and describe the process for nomination and selection. Past winners of all BCAM Player/Team Awards can be viewed at our website under the AWARDS tab.

When published (After February 15), the nomination forms for all of these awards are located on the BCAM website under the NOMINATION FORMS tab. All deadlines mentioned below will be strictly enforced.

BCAM’s BEST

What is it? The BCAM’s BEST award was formerly known as BCAM’s All-State Teams. However because some of the state’s best players were not being nominated by their coaches (either the coach was not a BCAM member, or the coach just didn’t nominate the player) the BCAM Board of Directors decided in 2007 to change the award to “BCAM’s BEST”.

BCAM’s BEST recognizes the top 20 players for both boys and girls in each high school division (1,2,3,4) for a total of 160 players being recognized. An additional group of players are also named to “Honorable Mention” for each division. There is no limit to the number of players who can be named to Honorable Mention.

New in 2010 was the addition of a recognition called "Best of the BEST". Before choosing BCAM's BEST, the committee will first select approximately 10 Boys and approximately 10 Girls regardless of division to name to "Best of the BEST" (similar to a Dream Team). These players will not be part of the players selected for BCAM's BEST.

Winners of "BCAM’s BEST" as well as "Honorable Mention" will receive a certificate. Winners of "Best of the BEST" will receive a plaque.

How do you get it? BCAM member varsity coaches must login to the BCAM website and fill out an online nomination form for their best player(s). A maximum of 6 players from any one high school can be nominated (3 boys and 3 girls). Varsity players of any grade level are eligible.

The selection of BCAM’s BEST and Best of the BEST is made by the Chairmen of the BCAM’s BEST Committees and the 15 Regional Directors for both boys and girls.

Nomination period:

Girls - March 2 - April 1, 2019. Boys - February 23 - April 1, 2019.

(Online nomination forms will be available on the BCAM website under the NOMINATION FORMS tab but only for the specific dates during the nomination period indicated above.)

After completing an online nomination form, you will automatically be sent a confirmation email. KEEP this confirmation email until after the awards are announced as your insurance that we received your nomination. If you do not receive a confirmation, we probably did not receive your nomination.

Individual Academic All-State

What is it? BCAM names JUNIOR and SENIOR players (grades 11 and 12 only) to the BCAM Individual Academic All-State list based on the player’s basketball achievements AND their GPA. Winners must meet two criteria: 1. Have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above, 2. Be named to one of four All-State team lists (including Honorable Mention): Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, AP, or BCAM’s BEST. (Any player’s GPA which is greater than 4.0 will be reported as a 4.0 for the purposes of this award.)

Winners receive a certificate from BCAM as well as being listed on the BCAM website. Certificates will be emailed to the head varsity coach in April.

How do you get it? BCAM Member coaches must fill out an online nomination form located on the BCAM website under the NOMINATION FORMS tab. Cumulative GPA MUST include GPA from 9th grade through the FIRST SEMESTER or FIRST TRIMESTER (depending on your school) of the current school year.

Only the Head Varsity Coach (who is a BCAM Member) can nominate their player(s). There is no limit to the number of players from a team that a coach can nominate as long as they qualify.

Coaches are required to submit the nomination form BEFORE all of the All-State lists are published. If the player does not end up being on an All-State list after all, then he/she will not be named to the Individual Academic All-State. (We will check the 4 all-state lists to make sure the player appears at least once).

Nomination period: February 16 - April 1.

After completing an online nomination form, you will automatically be sent a confirmation email. KEEP this confirmation email until after the awards are announced as your insurance that we received your nomination. If you do not receive a confirmation, we probably did not receive your nomination.

Team Academic All-State

What is it? This award is based purely on the ACADEMIC “record” of the team and has nothing to do with your win-loss record. Winners of this award will consist of those high school varsity teams who have the highest (weighted) average GPA of their team’s players. Eligible team players are those who were on the varsity squad for at least 10 regular season games AND on the varsity team for the State Tournament. The BCAM member coach must include the cumulative GPA’s, and cumulative credits ATTEMPTED, of ALL players on their roster who meet these qualifications. (Any player with an individual GPA above 4.0 will be figured as a 4.0 for the purposes of this award).

BCAM will honor the top ten boy’s teams and top ten girl’s teams in each high school division (Div 1, 2, 3, 4) for a total of 80 teams. In addition, any team with an average GPA of 3.0 or higher will be named to Honorable Mention. The top ten teams in each category will each receive a plaque for their achievement and all teams above 3.0 will be listed on the BCAM website.

How do you get it? BCAM Member coaches must login to the BCAM website and fill out the online nomination form with the cumulativeGPA and number of high school credits attempted by every eligible player on the team. Cumulative GPA MUST include GPA from 9th grade through the FIRST SEMESTER or FIRST TRIMESTER (depending on your school) of the current school year. BCAM will figure the average GPA for the team by multiplying each player’s GPA by their total number of attempted credits. These totals for each of the players will be added together and then divided by the total number of TEAM credits attempted. The resulting number will be the Average Team GPA.

Nomination period: Girls and Boys - February 16 - April 1. (Online nomination form available beginning February 16 under NOMINATION FORMS tab).

After completing an online nomination form, coaches will automatically be sent a confirmation email. KEEP this confirmation email as your insurance that we received your nomination in case there are any questions later. If you do not receive a confirmation, we probably did not receive your nomination.

Top Shooters

What is it? This award celebrates excellence in four categories: Individual Free Throw Percentage, Individual 3 Point Shooting Percentage, Team Free Throw Percentage and Team 3 Point Shooting Percentage. BCAM awards plaques to the top ten individual boys, boys’ teams, individual girls and girls’ teams in each category for a total of 80 awards given. Winners will also be listed on the BCAM website.

In addition, the top 20 INDIVIDUALS (20 boys and 20 girls) in the Individual Free Throw and Individual 3 Pointer categories (WHOSE COACHES SUBMIT THEIR NOMINATION FORMS BY THE "Top Shooters Challenge" deadline) will be INVITED to take part in the “Top Shooters Challenge” during the girls' and boys' state finals. This early nomination deadline is for the Top Shooters Challenge only. A later nomination deadline will be set for the actual Top Shooters Awards.

How do you get it? BCAM member coaches must login to the BCAM website and fill out an online nomination form for their Player(s) or Team. Coaches must list 1. date of contest, 2. shots made, and 3. shots attempted, for EACH regular season game. Only the stats from ALL 18-20 REGULAR SEASON games will be considered. (Stats from preseason games and post season games will NOT be accepted.) An INDIVIDUAL must have attempted at least 50 shots during the regular season to qualify and a TEAM must have attempted at least 100 shots.

Nomination period to be considered for the Top Shooters Challenge: Girls - 3/2/19 - 3/13/19. Boys - 2/23/19 - 3/6/19.

After completing an online nomination form, you will automatically be sent a confirmation email. KEEP this confirmation email as your insurance that we received your nomination. If you do not receive a confirmation, we probably did not receive your nomination.

ALL potential participants of the Top Shooters Challenge will need to confirm the stats they have sent in as well as ALL potential winners of the Top Shooters awards will need to confirm the stats they have sent in. After each nomination deadline, the head coach will receive an email from BCAM asking them to verify the stats that they submitted. Please keep your stats after the season ends so if you are asked, you will be able to verify the numbers.

What is the Top Shooters Challenge? During the boys and girls state finals, the top 20 players in each Individual Shooter Category (who have been nominated before the "TS Challenge" deadline) will be invited to come to the State Finals Games and compete to see who is the "best" FT and 3Pt Shooter. There will be a qualifying round and then the top two qualifiers will face off in a competiton during the half time of one of the state final games.

Team First Award

A new award that will be given to high school varsity and college varsity team members beginning with the 2016-17 season is called the Team First award. One person per varsity team is eligible for this award. Each varsity coach may choose ONE player or manager from their team to receive a certificate from BCAM. Team First winners should be the person from the team who most demonstrates putting team before self, teamwork, commitment, service and sacrifice.

How do you get it? BCAM member coaches must login to the BCAM website and fill out an online form for their chosen team member. Certificates will be emailed to the head varsity coach in April.

Nomination period: February 16 - April 1, 2018.

After completing an online nomination form, you will automatically be sent a confirmation email. KEEP this confirmation email as your insurance that we received your nomination. If you do not receive a confirmation, we probably did not receive your nomination.

Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award

A new award that will be given to high school varsity players beginning with the 2017-18 season is called the Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete award. This award celebrates the student-athlete who has committed to longevity in athletics as well as maintaining outstanding academic achievement. BCAM member coaches may nominate all Seniors on their team who have 1. played basketball ALL 4 years of high school and 2. have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or above. These players will receive a certificate from BCAM.

How do you get it? BCAM member coaches must login to the BCAM website and fill out an online form for their eligible player(s). Certificates will be emailed to the head varsity coach in April.

Nomination period: February 16 - April 1.

After submitting the nomination form, you will be sent a confirmation email. KEEP this confirmation email as your insurance that we received your nomination. If you do not receive a confirmation, we probably did not receive your nomination.

Other Awards BCAM Gives......

Top 100 Sportsmanship Award

What is it? BCAM, along with the MHSAA and PureSweat Basketball gives out the Top 100 Sportsmanship Award annually to 100 varsity boys teams and 100 varsity girls teams who have met the following criteria: After each regular season game, the game officials have been asked to rate the varsity team, its players, coach, school administration and fans on their sportsmanship. At the end of the season, all teams who have at least 5 "rated games" by officials will have their ratings averaged. The top 100 teams of each gender whose head coach is a BCAM member will receive a banner to hang in their gym.

How do I get it? There is no application process to obtain this award. The BCAM office will notify winners in the Spring. The banners will be FedEx'd to the winning schools in October/November. Winning teams are asked to present the banners to their teams/fans at a self-held ceremony at the beginning of the following basketball season. It is our wish that this award will help promote good sportsmanship in all of our member schools.

Regional and State Coach of the Year (high school)

What is it? BCAM member head varsity coaches are eligible for Regional Coach of the Year at the end of each season. Regional Directors will send 4-8 nominations to the BCAM office at the end of each basketball season. Ballots will be emailed to all "actively coaching" BCAM members to vote upon head varsity coaches in their Region. Voters will choose a first, second, and third place coach for Regional Coach of the Year. Ballots will be tallied on a 5-3-1 "points" basis. There will be a Boys Head Coach and a Girls Head Coach winner from each of the 15 BCAM regions. The winners will receive their plaque at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet in October in conjunction with the BCAM Coaches Clinic. State and Overall Coaches of the Year are decided by the Boys and Girls Coach of the Year Committees. They may or may not also be Regional winners. These coaches of the year will be named for Overall, Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 and Division 4 for both boys and girls. State/Overall Coaches of the Year may not win the same award more than once within a three year span.

How do I get it? Send your Coach of the Year nominations to your Regional Director before the State Finals each spring if you have a coach you think is deserving to be on the ballot for Regional Coach of the Year. You may nomimate yourself if you wish. The final ballot names are ultimately determined by the Regional Directors, COY Committee Chair, and the BCAM Executive Director. The contact list of Regional Directors is located on the BCAM website under "About BCAM".